Every home and business owner in NEO can be part of the sustainability and green building movement by being smart about energy efficiency - demand side management. The E4S champions described below can help us live and work smarter - we just need to be smart enough to get in touch with them first!

*winner*Champion:
Erika Welizcko – rePower Solutions

As well
as installing renewable energy systems for her main business, Erika
Welizcko is driven to her core by responsible energy usage. She took
her main work vehicle out of service for 4 months to have it retrofitted
for 100% biodiesel operation.

At the Pittsburgh Green Building Conference in 2003, out of all of the
glamorous building technologies on display there she felt the company
making a new line of not-so-glamours and yet highly practical and effective
home weather-stripping was the runaway "best of show."

In Erika's new business, she uses and promotes energy efficient lighting
and understands and applies the ‘building as a system’ concept
where ever possible for effective energy utilization.

Champion:
Joe Pustai – eQuest Engineering

I would like to nominate Joe Pustai, of eQuest Engineering, as a sustainable
champion. Joe has been instrumental in growing the sustainability and
green building movement in Cleveland. He's actually been involved since
the first meeting of those interested in developing what has now become
the Green Building Coalition.

Joe is a mechanical engineer who practices what he preaches through
his consulting business eQuest Engineering. He also promotes sustainability
in his personal life in promoting and helping organizations involved
in developing sustainable practices in all parts of life.

He has been instrumental in forming the Green Building Coalition, in
educating the Lakewood Public Library System, and in influencing the
Cuyahoga County Public Library system to undertake green building principles
in their next project.

I recommend Joe for this award because he strongly believes in, teaches,
and promotes sustainability in all he does.

See the E4S page on these champions